Student Blog: My New Theatre Routine

Since starting college, I haven’t been as involved in theatre as I used to be. So, in lieu of the theatre traditions I grew up with, I’ve created new ones of my own. I’ve never been the most independent, and I often hold myself back from activities if I can’t find someone to go with me. While I still get anxious, I love theatre so much that I couldn’t let that stop me from going to shows. After the first few times, I discovered that not only am I okay going by myself—I actually really love it. My routine is as follows.

ACQUIRING TICKETS

I have several ways I go about this. When it’s warmer out, and especially if I can convince a friend to accompany me, I’ll rush. I reluctantly set my alarm, drag myself out of bed at an ungodly hour, take the subway to Times Square, and line up for several hours outside the box office with the hope of getting a $40 ticket. This is best done for a matinee, as a two-show day gives you double the chance to snag a ticket, and you can kill a few hours by grabbing food (ideally outside of Times Square) and doing something nearby before the show. This saves you from having to be in the neighborhood more than once in a day—which is already overstimulating, threatening to my cred as a New Yorker, and, if you walk at a normal speed, an all-around infuriating endeavor.

Always ask if they have student rush tickets. If you don’t live in the city or don’t want to rush, enter the lotteries, use the Theatr app, and take advantage of discounted or free tickets if your school offers them—I’m looking at you, fellow NYU students.

PRE-SHOW

I’ll admit this is one of the more touristy activities I’ll willingly partake in as a native New Yorker. Fill up a bag carefully at the M&M store —on more than one occasion, I’ve added too many and ended up spending $20 on candy. If you have extra time, hop on the scanning machine and see what color M&M you are. These make for a perfect show snack and are a much better value than anything sold inside the theatre.

THEATRE

Arriving at the theatre thirty minutes before curtain is the perfect amount of time. By the time I get inside, I can use the bathroom, read the Playbill, and chat with the people next to me if I’m feeling social. After the obligatory Playbill photo that gets posted to my Instagram story, I add the show to my ever-growing notes app list of everything I’ve seen.

The newest addition to my routine is the app Mezzanine, which functions as a cross between a digital theatre diary and a social media platform. You can log what you’re seeing, the date, your seat, how many stars you’d rate it, and even follow other users. It’s far more aesthetically pleasing and organized than my notes app, but I’m sentimental—so now I use both.

Theatre traditions shift at different stages of life. At times, mine meant being backstage before performing, warming up, or applying stage makeup on myself and friends. As I got older, it meant watching the kids I directed from the wings with pride and hugging them after their bows. Now, I stay involved by seeing as much theatre as possible. While I love going to shows with friends, there’s something special about being alone—about having an experience that is both singular and shared. And while I cherish the traditions I grew up with, I’ve come to value this new one just as much.